better thinking better living A Collection of Scriptures & Words of Encouragement to Help Renew Your Mind

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Amplified Bible (AMP). Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible. Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.lockman.org) Scripture quotations marked “NIV” are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked “NKJV” are taken from the New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction The thoughts we think have tremendous power in charting the course of our lives. That’s why I often say, “Where the mind goes, the man follows.” Our thoughts determine our moods and attitudes—and our moods and attitudes affect each area of our lives on a daily basis. People who focus on their problems, what they don’t have, or the difficulties they are facing, will live a very negative life.

But people who choose to set their minds on God, trusting His promises and receiving His love for them, will live the abundant life Jesus died to give them. The Bible contains God’s promises for our lives and the instructions we need to experience them. When we believe the Word of God more than we believe our circumstances or what we think and feel, we have more peace, joy and wisdom to get through the hard times to victory. Renewing our minds with God’s Word so we have right thinking is the first and most foundational step to a better life. You can’t

wish your way to a better life, and you can’t worry your way to a better life. Learning God’s Word and discovering how to think as God thinks will bring about a victorious life in Christ. As you read through these words of encouragement and biblical truths, I pray that you will take time to renew your mind. As you read each page, determine to set aside any negative, ungodly thoughts. Choose instead to think about (meditate on) faith–filled, God–ordained, life–giving thoughts found throughout the Word. It’s important to understand that renewing your mind is not a one– time experience; it is a daily process that requires determination

and the help of the Holy Spirit. But it is a process that is well worth pursuing, because a renewed mind can change the quality and direction of your life! Your relationships, your career path, your marriage, your finances, your emotional health, your home environment, your relationship with the Lord—all of these areas of your life are refreshed and restored when you renew your mind, setting your thoughts on God. I hope you are inspired, encouraged and challenged by what you find as you read Better Thinking Better Living. I believe that as you set your mind on Him, God is going to do something powerful in your life!

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ou can do whatever you need to do in life through Christ.

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You have to believe that whatever God asks you to do, you can do it with His help. Miracles come in “cans” not in “can’ts.”

If you will stay ON the attack, you won’t be UNDER attack.

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The Lord is my Strength and Song; and He has become my Salvation. PSALM 118:14

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od’s love is perfect! Knowing He loves you perfectly and unconditionally will remove every fear from your life.

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Your worst day with Jesus will always be better than your best day without Him.

When fear knocks on your door, send faith to answer it.

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We don’t need a wishbone; we need a backbone. Stand on the Word of God and you can resist the devil.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. PSALM 139:13–14 NIV

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esus can heal your every hurt!

When you make a decision to do the right thing, even when you don’t feel like it, your feelings will eventually catch up if you stick with it.

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Be honest with God and yourself about where you are so you can get to where you want to be.

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). JOHN 10:10

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he best way to have a happy life is to focus on what you can do to make someone else’s life better. Love aggressively!

Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair— it keeps you busy but it doesn’t get you anywhere.

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Trusting God means accepting you will have unanswered questions. You don’t have to figure everything out.

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. MATTHEW 6:33

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on’t let circumstances and other people control your joy. In Christ, you can be confident that God is in control and He has a good plan for your life, regardless of the circumstances around you.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. PSALM 37:4

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esus offers His peace, but we have to receive it. Pursue peace on purpose.

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self–discipline. 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 NIV

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o matter how your life started, what’s important is how you finish. God can do amazing things in you and through you as you put your trust in Him.

When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, a divine exchange takes place. You give God your sin, and He gives you His righteousness!

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Prayer changes more than things; prayer changes you.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 JOHN 4:4 NIV

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wise person refuses to live with hurt feelings or offenses in his heart.

You don’t serve a God of barely enough— you serve a God of more than enough.

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I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] JOHN 16:33

W henever we have a problem, our first

response should always be “I trust God.”

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You may not have had a good start in life, but through a relationship with Christ, you can determine to have a good finish.

Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good. ROMANS 12:21

W hatever the problem may be, you

can’t worry your way to victory. Choose to trust God, no matter what, and praise your way to victory!

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 NIV

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eceive God’s unconditional love for you and learn how to love yourself so you can love others. Because you can’t give away what you don’t have.

We are called to seek God’s presence, not God’s presents.

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This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. PSALM 118:24 NKJV

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f you mind your own business, your peace will increase.

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The way you behave under pressure proves whether or not you are ready to go to the next level.

You may not be where you need to be, but thank God you’re not where you used to be!

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There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear . . . . 1 JOHN 4:18 NIV

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f you’ll focus on the good things about others, instead of what you don’t like about them, it will be much easier to be at peace with them.

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You can change your life by letting the Word of God change your mind.

We’re all different for a reason. God gives us different gifts and temperaments, and we all need each other.

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Real confidence in Christ is faith in action. It’s taking a step of faith even when you feel afraid.

Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

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t is impossible to change your life without changing your mind.

In Christ, you are ready for anything. You are equal to every task because Christ gives you the strength you need.

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Faith is the opposite of fear. We receive from the enemy through fear; we receive from God through faith.

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he . . . . PROVERBS 23:7

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ou’re no surprise to God—He knew what He was getting when He got you.

No matter what other people have said about you, God delights in telling you in His Word who you are in Him—loved, valuable, precious, talented, gifted, capable, powerful, wise and redeemed.

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Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. PSALM 37:4

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here are no unanswered prayers. God either says “wait,” “yes” or “no.”

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We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5 NIV

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od has promised He will never leave you nor forsake you. Whatever you are going through in life, you don’t have to go through it alone.

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It’s amazing how happy you can be when you choose to trust God completely with your life.

God wants to bless you in every area of your life—spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, financially and socially.

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Don’t worry about tomorrow. Thank God for today.

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. COLOSSIANS 3:2

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nstead of focusing on what you don’t have, thank God for what you do have. This is the key to being content.

Where the mind goes, the man follows.

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Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully. 1 PETER 5:7

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o your part and God will do His part. It’s your responsibility to do what God told you to do . . . not to worry about the outcome.

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The more you think about your problems, the larger they become. Instead of meditating on the problem, meditate on the promises in God’s Word.

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 1 CORINTHIANS 13:7

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xercising self–control sets you free to live with real peace and joy. It is a form of freedom, not a type of bondage.

Set your mind for success and be the kind of person who refuses to give up. You can do what you need to do through Christ who gives you strength!

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God created you and He does not make junk, so start focusing on your strengths and stop staring at your weaknesses.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. PHILIPPIANS 4:19 NIV

W ith God, you never fail. You just take the same test over and over until you finally get it.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Your words are connected to your emotions. You can talk yourself into a rotten mood or you can talk yourself out of one.

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God wants us to enjoy our lives, not live with dread or regret.

Nothing is going to work in your life until you know the height, the depth, the length, and the breadth of the love that God has for you.

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For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it . . . . HEBREWS 12:11

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disciplined life in Christ is the key to a powerful life.

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God has given you the gifts, talents, abilities, and grace you need to do His will in life.

God is not just with you when you go to church; He is with you all the time.

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But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, gentleness (meekness, humility), self–control (self– restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge]. GALATIANS 5:22–23

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t’s amazing how happy you can be when you just trust God.

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If you will learn to agree with God—to think the way He wants you to think— then you can have what He wants you to have, be who He wants you to be, and do what He wants you to do.

Your future has no room in it for the past. As a new creature in Christ, old things have passed away and all things are made new!

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If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ROMANS 12:18

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n order for things to change in our lives, we must pray, but we must also be willing to change.

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You are God’s child, the apple of His eye, and He watches over you constantly.

For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:21

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od has given you weapons to overcome sin and the enemy, and the greatest weapon you have is the Word of God.

You can finish what you start by keeping your mind set in the right direction all the way through to victory.

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It’s so wonderful when you can stay happy and peaceful even when you don’t get your way.

If God can’t get it done, it can’t be done. Remember that all things are possible with God!

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You shall not need to fight in this battle; take your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you . . . . 2 CHRONICLES 20:17

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ou are partners with God. Your part is to trust Him, to know His Word, believe it, and do what He tells you to do. His part is to do what you can’t do in every situation.

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Learn to cast your care on God but not your responsibility.

. . . If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ROMANS 8:31–32 NIV

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od offers each of us a great life, but we must renew our minds and learn to think on purpose if we want to experience all He has planned for us.

It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. Make a decision to obey God in the little things.

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Trusting God allows you to enter His rest, and rest is a place of peace where you are able to enjoy your life while you trust God to solve your problems.

It’s easy to quit; it takes faith to go through.

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Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour. 1 PETER 5:8

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orgiving those who hurt and offend you is one of the most spiritually powerful things you can do.

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God never leads us where He cannot keep us. His grace is always sufficient for us—in any and every circumstance of life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. JOHN 3:16 NIV

Prayer of Salvation God loves you and wants to have a personal relationship with you. If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can do that right now. Just open your heart to Him and pray . . . “Father, I know that I have sinned against You. Please forgive me. Wash me clean. I put my trust in Jesus, Your Son. I believe that He died for me—He took my sin upon Himself when He died on the cross. I believe that He was raised from the dead. I surrender my life to Jesus right now.

Thank You, Father, for Your gift of forgiveness and eternal life. Please help me to live for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” As you have prayed from your heart, God has heard your prayer, forgiven you of your sin, and made you a new creature in Christ Jesus. We are so happy for you and excited about your new relationship with the Lord! You are beginning the greatest journey of your life, and there are some things you can do to get as close to God as you can be.

Start by reading the following scriptures to learn more about God’s love and what He has done for you: John 3:16 Ephesians 2:8-9 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 1 John 1:9

1 John 4:14-15 1 John 5:1 1 John 5:12-13

Pray and ask Him to help you find a good Bible–believing church so you can be encouraged to grow in your relationship with Christ. God is always with you. He will lead you one day at a time and show you how to live the abundant life He has for you!

Joyce Meyer Ministries Sharing Christ—Loving People

Joyce Meyer Ministries is called to share the Gospel and extend the love of Christ. Through media we teach people how to apply biblical truth to every aspect of their lives and encourage God’s people to serve the world around them. Through our missions arm, Hand of Hope, we provide global humanitarian aid, feed the hungry, clothe the poor, minister to the elderly, widows and orphans, visit prisoners and reach out to people of all ages and in all walks of life.  Joyce Meyer Ministries is built on a foundation of faith, integrity and dedicated supporters who share this call.

For more information about Joyce Meyer Ministries, please visit joycemeyer.org or call (800) 727–9673. Outside the U.S. call (636) 349–0303.

Joyce Meyer Ministries • P.O. Box 655 • Fenton, MO 63026 USA • joycemeyer.org facebook.com/joycemeyerministries

@joycemeyer

ISBN: 978-0-9754159-7-9

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